Such switches are used for electric appliances. In particular, these electric appliances are electric tools, for example handheld electric tools, such as electric drills, hammer drills, percussion hammers, chisel hammers, electric screwdrivers, angle grinders or the like, wherein these switches are often incorporated in the handle of the electric tool.
It has become apparent in the case of known switches for electric tools that the contact system can fail prematurely in the case of electric tools subjected to a high load. In particular, in such switches the switching and/or fixed contact for the contact system can be caused to fail when high-frequency opening and/or closing of the switching contact, for example owing to insufficient contact force and/or vibration, occurs. This negative effect, so-called teasing of the contact system, occurs in the case of low-voltage and also high-voltage applications in the AC and DC sector. In particular at relatively high voltages, for example at approximately 120 V, this negative effect is very pronounced owing to the high currents then flowing. Furthermore, teasing can also occur when the electric tool is operated under vibrations, i.e. for example in the percussion drilling mode or in the hammer mode.
DE 199 30 558 A1 discloses an electrical switch having a contact system comprising at least one fixed contact and a switching contact and having an actuating element for acting in switching fashion on the contact system. The switch has a switching slide, which bears the switching contact and is moveable in a movement direction between two positions, wherein in one position the switching contact is remote from the fixed contact and in the other position the switching contact bears against the fixed contact. An actuating slide which is moveable by virtue of the actuating element is coupled to the switching slide by means of an elastic means. Furthermore, a latching means interacts with the switching slide. As a result, the switching slide can be switched over between the two positions on actuation of the actuating element with a type of snap-action movement, whereby the switch provides good protection against teasing. This switch is therefore also suitable for high current applications at, for example, 120 V DC. The known switch, in which teasing is largely ruled out, has a large structure, however, and is therefore less suited to electric tools with a slender handle.
The invention is based on the problem of developing the switch such that said switch is suitable for use in slender handles of electric tools. In particular, a switch with an extra-slender switch profile is intended to be provided for application in mains-operated and/or rechargeable battery-operated hammer drills, percussion hammers and/or combination hammers which have a very slender spade handle, which is preferably impregnated with rubber for vibration damping.